Villandry, London

One of the many reasons I love London is because they freakin’ rock the brunch scene. In my opinion, a good brunch menu should have a handful of healthy options (think hearty salad, fresh fruit, homemade muesli, yogurt), the absolute breakfast basics (croissants, jam, fresh bread, porridge), a selection of morning cocktails (especially mimosas), some classics for the mainstream (eggs benny, buttermilk pancakes), and a few ‘wow’ entrees that go above and beyond your average breakfast expectations. Bakers and Roasters and Little Collins tick all the boxes here in Amsterdam, but otherwise, an exceptional breakfast spot is hard to come by in the ‘dam. However, in London, almost every brunch establishment knocks it out of the park – inventive mimosas, flaky croissants, and all.

On my last Sunday in London, Roshni and I popped out to meet up with Emily. The three of us lived together in Leeds, and haven’t all been in the same room since 2010! And what’s the best way to reconnect? Over brunch of course! We set off for Villandry on an ironically wet morning.

Villandry is a short stroll from Ro’s house, so we grabbed our umbrellas and marched down the road.

A slippery stroll later, we were cozy and dry inside Villandry. The entrance is adorable – to your right is a flower stand with lovely bouquets to choose from, and on the left your will find a tall counter serving colorful coffee to go.

We passed through the cafe area, and arrived in the restaurant, which was a warm golden hue. We welcomed the artificial sunshine, happy to escape the dreary weather outside!

The menu at Villandry is simple and sweet. Waffles, scones with clotted cream, sweet cured bacon sandwiches . . . Stuffed from the night before, I went for the very simple leek and sweet potato gallette, which was a steal at less than £6 and served with a poached egg and buckets of red pepper hollandaise.Em (what a beauty!) went for the scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, and Ro kept it simple as well and had a croissant and jam. We also all had coffees and Villandry orange juices, which were fantastic. No breakfast meal is complete without a fresh squeezed juice!On the way out we admired the pastries, which were very tempting, despite very full bellies. If you’re looking for a cheery breakfast spot in Centra London, Villanry is a great option. You can find them at: 70 Great Portland St, London W1W 5QB, United Kingdom. I suggest a reservation if you’re going on the weekend, you can call here: +44 20 7631 3131